Say his name & break this spell
by LisaAbiona15
Summary: The village's people are terrified, Belle's father is overbearing and Gaston.. well he is Gaston. Belle on the other hand is curious; for what beasts leaves paw prints as well as human ones?


He might be a beast, but he is no monster ( She and his child know this)

 **I do not own OUAT.**

Twenty of them were already slaughtered.

Gender did not matter ( one of the sisters that always giggled and blushed whenever Gaston did anything was found with her throat ripped, her mouth opened in a scream that had never been let out and the orange-bearded baker that was always kind if in a hurry who was found with one of his limbs ripped off and terror in his eyes) nor did age ( the elder gentleman from the bookstore was found with his ribcage torn open and the boy who had been searching for an escaped pig was found with his arm ripped off and died on the way to help).

The whole village was made of terror and apprehension, the barricaded doors and nailed shut windows a great warning to any visitors. People ran more than they walked, there were no children playing on the streets ( the last time one had slipped outside , the beast had come & snatched it) and every single person that was out, had some sort of weapon (sword and axes , but also improvised ones like broken pieces of wood)

Belle kind of felt like the whole village was under siege or something similar.

She drew her cloak tighter around her shoulder, shivering from more than the cold.

The whole atmosphere in the village was stifling and heavy. It showed every day: while she usually would have chatted with the man where she got her eggs, now it was even difficult to get him to open the door and allow her to buy two eggs – not just because the werewolf had killed most of the chickens. People were curt, snappy, irate.

She managed to get most of what her papa needed and returned home. As soon as she stepped over the threshold , her dad pulled her inside and locked the door. She grimaced: his grip was really tight. " Belle! I told you not to go outside anymore"

" But father, we need supplies".

" You could have waited until Gaston came here".

Belle put down her casket – after shrugging out of her coat- on the table. This also allowed her to roll her eyes and make faces without her father seeing her. He really had been speaking a bit too fondly of Gaston, if you asked her.

" I can do it myself. And you know I do not like Gaston".

" He just wants you to be save".

" He wants a lot ".

Her father sighed, walking over to her. He grabbed her shoulders (fortunately not as rough as before) to turn her around. He seemed like a different man to Belle, with his smile missing and bags drawn beneath his eyes . " We are just trying to look out for you, Belle. You are in danger".

" So are you! So are all of us. It is not like he is targeting anyone father, everyone could be next".

" It. It is a beast , you know that".

Belle gnawed her lips. " What about the footprints they found?" she questioned gently. Since the first kill months ago, it was not just claw prints they had found or fur stuck to thorny bushes, but also foot prints and human hairs.

" Perhaps it belonged to one of its victims".

Belle nodded, though she knew that did not make sense. The first print had been found deep into the woods, a couple of weeks after the first deaths. No one was gullible or reckless enough to go there anymore. " I suppose".

She smiled at her father. " I will go and ask Clara whether she needs my help preparing dinner".

" Honestly Belle, I do not comprehend why you insist on performing servant tasks- ".

" Dinner will be ready faster that way, father" Belle said. Her father was a kind man, but still stupidly thought it beneath Belle to help the servants. It was rather upsetting, the way her father insisted that since they had the money to make people do that work, there was no reason for her to do it.

She smiled briefly at her father, then rushed to the kitchen with the groceries. She relaxed when the loud voice of Clara, the cook, and slightly more timid voice of her help reached her ears. Clara was always so lively, no matter what the circumstances.

The big, chubby woman turned around with her usual smile and drew Belle in her arms. " How good to see you have returned safely" . She drew back. "Now please never do that again, this old heart surely cannot take it again".

" We needed supplies".

Clara cupped her face. " We need you alive far more" .

"Well I am alive. And I got supplies". She handed Clara the casket, who looked into it and sighed. " It is getting harder and harder to get anything in this town, qui?".

" Yes. The- The supplies are dwindling. A lot of people are hungry and- ".

" Ah. So that is why you took food out of the house" Clara said, shaking her head. " Child- ".

" I cannot just let people starve! Father made sure we do have a rather large supply, even if there are some things you cannot keep for a long time and thus need to be gotten from the village so why would I not- ".

While cutting vegetables, Clara replied " Your father would be furious". She rolled her eyes, scoffed. " Not to mention we need astonishing amounts of food to feed the pretty boy"

Belle bit on her lips as she smiled. Clara never was very bold about it, but she clearly disliked Gaston . The emotions in her voice or the fact that she was cutting a little more viciously told it all ( plus her cautionary remarks)

Belle did not really like him that much either, but still hoped that he found love (as long as that love was not her). After all, he must have good qualities. He probably was brave and such.

She kept smiling at Clara, ever amused by Clara's ability to be perfectly polite and pleasant while still somehow being able to manage to make clear how much she disliked certain things .

They worked side by side, talking and laughing as they prepared the food together. By the time they were finished, Gaston had arrived ( as became clear when they heard a door slam and a loud shout before thump thump heavy boots came their way).

" Belle! Belle!" Gaston called and stopped at the threshold of the kitchen. There was mud on his boots and he still had his bow in his hand.

" Yes Gaston?" Belle asked, turning around. She stepped away from Clara, deciding to give her a bit more space to work.

" What on earth were you thinking, you could have gotten hurt without me there to protect you".

" I do not need your protection Gaston".

" Belle, if that beast gets to you- ".

" How do you even know if your arrows will be able to hurt it? Some of the victims had weapons and that did not help them".

" They were not me. I promise you, Belle, I will stop this beast".

" Dinner is ready, sir" Clara thankfully said. Belle had no desire to continue this conversation.

Like usually, Gaston did not get Belle. Nonetheless, she gave him a brief smile before turning to Clara. " Should I carry- ".

" Just go miss, the girls will get the food for you" Clara said, giving Belle a warm smile.

" Okay. Thank you". Belle turned around, walking towards Gaston . As soon as she reached him, he threw a heavy arm around her and started walking.

They arrived at the dinner room together, Belle's father already sitting in his chair with a glass of wine in his hand. " Ah Belle, Gaston. Sit down".

They did and not five minutes later, the food was brought. The food was excellent- which was good, because the company was not altogether pleasant. Gaston and her father had much to discuss and few of it interested Belle. Furthermore, they were still united in their desire for some sort of relationship between her Gaston. It was exhausting really.

After hours of suffering through mediocre conversation , Belle was slightly startled to see a servant enter with flowers in his arms. When he also put out the lights after lighting candles , Belle stared to be suspicious. Then her father yawned (rather fakely) and stood.

At the moment he started to say ' I will retire, you- "

Belle shoved her chair back and smiled at the both of them. " This dinner was lovely, but I really must retire now". Before her father could protest (much) she had walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek. Gaston stood too. " I will accompany you to your chambers and- ".

" I will be fine, truly. But thank you. Have a nice evening, Gaston" and before either of them could say, she exited the room and pulled them closed behind her. She felt like she had just escaped a death trial.

In her rooms, she nearly sank to the floor. She felt the kind of tiredness sleep would not cure. The kind that settled in your muscles first, then your bones and finally your soul.

Rubbing her eyes, she dragged herself to bed. Not with the intend of sleeping though; she picked one book from the small pile next to the large bed and started reading.

 **Magical creatures of transformation**

—-

Belle was awoken when someone tugged on her arm and a choked voice managed to permeate the world of dreams she had sunk into. Slowly opening her eyes, she turned her head and-

A boy. Short, dark brown hair. Brown or Hazel eyes with pupils blown wide in fair. A trembling bottom lip .

" What is wrong" she gasped, pushing herself off the bed. She lay a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, her stomach twisting at the anguished expression on his face.

" It i-is my papa. He needs help".

" Why are you asking me? The d-".

" They all do not want to help! But you would, would you not? Y-you would help my papa, would you not?"

" Of course I would, but I am not sure I can".

The boy grabbed her hand . " You can, I know you can".

" Then I will help, of course".

The boy already straightened and ran to the door when something occurred to Belle. "How did you get into the house? It was locked down. And who are you?".

The boy froze. " Will you still help my papa if I tell?".

Belle rushed over to him. " Of course I will"

The boy turned around, swallowing nervously. " It is a trick. I c-can open doors. And my name is Baelfire".

Baelfire. She did know who he was, she just had not recognized him because the most she ever saw of him was glimpses of the dark hair as he ran away when children jeered, or his eyes on the rare occasions his father entered the town with him with a hand on his shoulder. The whole town whispered about his father, the odd man living in the forest near the town. The man that was rarely seen and no one knew who or what exactly he was. What he did. Sometimes, people went to him for help but what kind exactly?

And now she was apparently going to help this man no one knew or trusted. Then again, she did not know him. So she could honestly not say that it was a terrible idea ( apart from the fact that it was; there was still someone out there slaughtering people after all).

Still, she followed the boy through the dark and quiet house, the only sound his harsh, panicky breathing. Outside, it was even darker and very cold. She followed him, stumbling a little as he ran and expertly avoided branches and the sort. Luckily, there moon was very bright tonight or this would have been far more difficult.

They quickly arrived at a cottage, sort of shabby and very secluded. The boy pushed open the door, grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. Inside, where on a small bed a man lay sweaty and gasping. Hair the color of straw, brown eyes, stubbles.

" Bae" the man gasped and the boy rushed to his side, grabbing the shaking hand clumsily reaching for him.

" What do you- "Belle started and then she looked at the blanket covering most of the man and realized that there was a dark red on it. Almost black red, right where his left leg ought to be. " You are bleeding!" she exclaimed, rushing over to the man.

" Bae.. " the man wheezed. " What is this ?".

" She is going to help you papa".

" My boy, send her away".

" But papa-"

" Bae".

" We can trust her".

The man lowered his head again, the short burst of strength apparently leaving him again. He watched Belle as she grabbed the rattiest clothing she could find and ripped it. She tipped a piece of it in water, walked back to the man. " This may sting a little" she warned, ignoring the suspicious if not hostile look in his eyes.

" I can ta- be careful " the man snapped when Belle lowered the blanket to press the cloth to the gaping wound. " What did you do?" she questioned, eying the wound with astonishment. She was no expert, but it looked almost like-

" None of your business dearie" he said at the same time that Baelfire said " papa got caught in a trap".

" Bae!".

" She is nice papa, she won't hurt you".

" It is not me I am worried about".

" I won't tell anyone, I promise" Belle said, smiling at both of them. She quickly finished cleaning the wound, then looked around. The cottage was spacious, but also neglected. The furniture looked old, as well as slightly damaged ( were those claw marks) and there were some odd object, like-

Baelfire quickly shove a table to hide what Belle could have sworn were chains. Which would be ridiculous , because why would you-

she was instantly curious and determine to figure this father-son pair out.

Drawing her eyes back to the father, she asked 'do you have any kind of ointment that I can put on the wound? Or at least some herbs?".

Baelfire walked over to a small box in a corner, opening it ( Belle raised her eyebrows when she realized he was trying very hard to keep her from seeing the contents by shielding the box with his body) He returned to her with a small bottle. " Here. It helps with a lot of different wounds"

" Thank you" she said, turning to smear it on the wound. The father grumbled , but she ignored it as she wrapped the injury with a piece of cloth. She gave Baelfire the bottle back. "There you go".

" Thank you!" he exclaimed , leaning against the bed as his father wrapped an arm around him. He smiled at her . Well at least someone is grateful.

" You are very welcome. I will return to treat it again, okay?".

" I can treat it myself, dear-".

" You really cannot. I will try to come as soon as possible tomorrow".

" I forbid you to-".

"à demain " she said pointedly, then slipped out of the door

…

Over the next couple of days, she tented to the hostile father and his lovable (yet horribly sad for some reason) boy. She read books about injuries, and herbs. She searched the forest for ingredients, rolled her eyes at the father's grumbling. She listened to stories and told some herself.

The father was an amazing story teller. He was animated, but not overly so. His voice was beautiful and he changed it according to the story. He really brought the story to life. He was beautiful

She loved listening to him, watch that hostility and weariness leave his eyes. She actually spent too long listening to him; once, she came home when her father was already leaving his rooms to have breakfast. She nearly got caught that time, all because she had been unable to resist listening for a while longer.

Books or oral versions, Belle loved stories.

There was just one- okay maybe two or three things- that bothered her. Firstly, the strange things present in the cottage (like the chains, or claw prints on chairs and walls and some other things she could not even explain). Secondly, the father refused to tell Belle his name or even why he would not tell (it apparently had nothing to do with being ashamed of it however) .

Thirdly, he healed far faster than ought to be possible.

" You are healed " she said, gaping at where had been a wound and now only was a faint scar.

" Yes. So we do not require your services any longer, dearie".

Belle ignored how that stung. " But how?".

" Do you know anything about injuries? It just healed".

" Yes, but- but that is impossible".

" Leave".

" I mean-".

" Belle" Baelfire came to her, grabbing her hand. He glanced at his father and she could swear he looked afraid. Which was preposterous because she had never seen him be treated with anything but unconditional love. Or-

You are afraid for me? Why-

This was just getting odder and she was going to figure it out. " Fine. I am sorry. I will leave now' she said, turning around to leave.

Baelfire did not let go of her hand. His next 'Belle' was a lot more shocked and pained than the one before. She managed to wink at him without his father seeing . He let go of her hand.

…..

"YOU ARE A WEREWOLF ? ? ? " she screamed four days later, storming into the cottage with a book in her hand. The father had just raised a cup of tea to his mouth and now slammed it down on the table.

" Bae. Close the door" he growled. Baelfire hesitated, but then obeyed.

He then walked over to Belle. " Do not harm her papa, please- " he said.

" You have no idea-".

" The murders and disappearances that happened first about two years ago, around the time you probably moved here. The fur that is always near you, the one you use to change. The claw marks. Because you are not in control when you change and it is supposed to hurt. The chains, to protect your boy. The accelerated healing, because you changed again".

Belle paused to draw in a few deep breaths, her face angry and head dizzy. " And you never told me your name… because if I ever speak it while you are in the other form, you will never be able to change again".

He did not say anything. He just stood there, looking at her with this scorned look . " Bae, leave".

" No! I won't let you hurt her".

" Bae.." he growled.

" He is not going to hurt me". She stalked over to him, waving the book in the air. " Why did you not tell me? Did you think I would never figure it out".

" I KNEW you would figure it out" he says and she remembers how much he did not want her there, even when he was in pain and in need of help.

They were both silent for a while, staring at each other. She was flushed with anger. He was still as a statue, defiant but also – disappointed? She didn't know. Something. Baelfire slipped his hand into hers.

" What now" he finally broke the silence, but only barely.

"Now, Belle will leave and- "

" No I won't! " she glanced at Baelfire, whose eyes were fixed on his father with a lost expression. A hopeless one. She threw an arm around his shoulder and drew him towards her.

" You won't?" he looked at her with such (happy?) surprise.

She shook her head. " No. But I do have a few questions".

She let go of Baelfire, gently pushing him away. " Can you go outside?".

He shook his head, gritted his teeth. " I have been there through all of it. I know what he has done".

" Bae-".

" Don't ! I k-know okay? Why can you not just- ".

Baelfire sat down with a little sob, burying his hands in his hair. " Give it up".

The father hurried over to him. " Because I need to protect you".

" Y-you can do that without hurting people".

" No, I really can't. What am I without it Bae? Just an old man that no one respects".

"I respect you" Belle cut in, making the man look up at her with astonishment. " Or at least I did until I found out what exactly you were willingly doing".

" You do not understand-".

" Exactly! Why would you ever hurt people? _Children_ ".

He was silent for a long time, then broke under the combined stares of Baelfire and Belle. " While the transformation is voluntarily, what comes after is not after".

" But you still choose to transform so I do not understa-".

" That is the price. If I do not use the fur regularly , then it loses its power to change me".

" But why-"

" I need to protect my boy".

" There are other ways, ways that do not involve hurting people" Belle finally gave in to her desire and walked over, laying her hand on Bae's shoulder and grabbing Rumple's with the other one.

" Ways that do not hurt your son"

Rumple swirled around, the look in his eyes so feral she flinched and stepped back. He pushed her back. " Do not EVER try to get between me and my son".

" I a-am n-not" Belle stuttered.

" Leave. Leave or I will change and tear your throat open" he growled.

Baelfire jumped to his feet. " No! Papa, don't".

The father strode to the chair his fur was hanging over, hands grabbing for it. Baelfire ran to him, tiny hands grabbing at shoulders to pull, or at a back to slap or turning into fists to try to punch. " NO PAPA NO" he screamed.

Belle took a step towards them. " Don't do it! You will hurt him!" she implored, but he was already tugging the fur on and-

Belle 's heart got caught in her throat, her eyes bulged and every muscle felt like it turned to ice. Little hairs were pushing through the skin, pupils were changing softly, that face was elongating-

Baelfire gave up and run to her, pushing her. She stumbled backwards as he screamed " RUN RUN " .

She grabbed his hand and pulled him with her as she raced out of the door, pained horrid sounds behind her ( screams and whimpers and growls and everything in between) . She left Baelfire behind the house, her hands on his cheeks. "You will be safe here?". " Yes yes GO".

And then she was running for her life, stumbling through a forest with a furious werewolf behind her. She did not dare glance behind her, debated trying to talk him out of it – werewolves are capable of tearing apart even loved ones although the emotion that affect one form, affect the other so they are safer than the general person – but she was pretty sure he hated her right now. So he was not-

She jumped and ran and pushed, nauseous because of the exertion and terror. Sweat dripped down her back, shudders wreaking her body and she sobbed. Maybe it was not terror as much as pain and the slight feeling of betrayal.

Then she stumbled and fell, landing face-first in the mud. She scrambled up, gasping/wheezing and he was in her face. His nose was wet against hers. She stared into these eyes and suddenly calmed. Drool dripped from giant teeth as a monstrous jaw opened inches away from Belle's face.

An eternity was crammed into a minute.

His eyes were morphed- still the same shade of brown but with yellow covering it . His fur was a mix of brown and grey. The jaws were gargantuan, the gum black as the darkness surrounding them and the teeth sharp enough to easily cut to flesh and bone.

Belle knew when they pressed against her throat and already made her bleed even though he was being surprisingly gently. Then the head suddenly yanked back , pointed at the sky and howled before turning and storming away.

She remained pressed against a tree in shock before finally stumbling home

….

It must have been weeks later when she saw either of them again.

She was just heading back home, casket on her home, when he stormed out of the wood. She turned when she heard his scream "BELLE".

She stared at him in horror: torn clothing, twigs in hair, gashes on his face and some of the bare skin, both drying and fresh tears in eyes & on cheeks. Her heart jumped and fell.

" Your father?".

" H-hunters. They followed him. He was trying to get inside the cottage when they caught up with a-and I got caught in the middle and- he flipped".

"Where?".

Baelfire pointed. Belle was running before she had even registered it, the world narrowing to save him save him save him save him

She was stopped by a hand grabbing her wrist. " His name- ".

" Baelfire you don't need to- ".

He was still crying but he looked determined and strong despite that. He leaned into her, pressed his lips close to her ears. " Rumpelstiltskin" and let her go.

She fell to her knees and hugged him. " Hide yourself. We will come for you " she promised, then led him go and ran like the Devil itself was on her heels. Ran and jumped over fallen trees. Ran and avoided sweeping branches ( or sometimes got one in her face & did not even feel it) Ran and followed the sounds of angry. Terrified screams.

She was hidden by a tree as she observed the horrible scene. The pile of golden leaves to the right were tainted red ( first she thought it was ordinary, just autumn leaves, then she noticed the bloody tendons next to it, the – oh gods no) and so was a tree to the left of her (a snapped neck) and the earth only a couple of steps in front of her.

The remaining five (?) hunters were circling the wolf, who growled and jumped. Belle felt like she had just fallen from a tree and hit every branch when she saw the ugly slashes as well as the couple of arrows in the wolf.

She ran forward , pushing away one of the men that had formed a circle and screams " STOP". She turns around, hands out and takes a few steps backwards. "Stop!".

The ones who still can raise arms , do this immediately and now there are three arrows pointed at her heart. Behind her, she hears a terrifying growl. She hesitates only a second before deciding to do something she loathes.

She lies.

" It is a horrible curse. He is just a man. D-don't hurt him, please".

" He is a monster! Look what he has DONE" one of the men –this one more a boy- chokes on the words as he points wildly at one of the mutilated corpse around them.

" He d-did not mean to" she insists and he did not but also –

"I don't CARE" he screams and shoots. Luckily he was so overcome with anger at the moment of shooting that the arrow hits a tree instead of her or the man/wolf behind her.

She pleads and argues and comes dangerously close to begging, but the men want blood. They want revenge, and do not care whether he is 'innocent' or not. They try to remove her from her spot but she keeps jumping back to it and the wolf is snapping at them, monstrous jaws close to vulnerable arms and-

She somehow ends on her knees in front of these angry men with him close to her (close enough to feel the wet blood in his fur) when a boy comes storming to the trees calling " PAPA" .

She screams. He howls. Baelfire crumples in to the floor and his father promptly barrels over two men to get to him. After a minute, he releases a heartbreaking cry and slumps into the woods. The men hesitate, then the first one walks over to the boy Belle is leaning over, imploring to wake up.

The men gather quietly around her, heads down. Even the one that wanted to kill the 'wolf' so badly is silent and mournful. The only sound is Belle's sobs and pleads.

Until a small voice is heard. "Where is papa?".

There are fuzzing hands everywhere, rushed voices, discussions and a quick trip back to the village. Belle holds Bae's hand, answers his questions as best as she can, laughs through her tears.

For some reason ( and she has an idea that it has all to do with big, scared eyes and a voice that breaks on the word 'papa' ) the hunters lie." The beast is gone" the say and the only ones who are not screaming/crying/otherwise overcome with happiness is the loved ones of the last three lives it took.

Belle finds her Father and Gaston, never lets go of Bae's hand. She briefly talks to them ( tells her father she loves him/ but that she also wants to make her own choices. Tells Gaston that she hopes he finds love elsewhere) before convincing them to take Bae – who is withdrawn and scared and still injured- to their home.

,,,,

It is months later and Gaston has found a woman better suited for him. The shops are all open, the barricades have disappeared, the period of mourning is slowly passing and there is light & happiness again. Her father seems more accepting of her after nearly losing her. (though he still does not comprehend parts of her)

Bae breaks her heart. He is withdrawn and quiet and filled with pain and longing. It manifests as anger as first, angry words/ angry silence. When he finally breaks and admits he wants his father back, it is difficult to get him away from the woods. She hates to see the hope get crushed every day.

She finally cannot take it anymore and searches for him alone. She is almost certain that Rumplestiltskin is just hiding, is still around watching his son but now convinced that Bae is better off without him. That, or he thinks his son is dead (because there is nothing little that would keep Rumple from his beloved son).

The darkness shifts, a flash of brown in the corner of her eyes and she raises her hand and speaks to it. "You need to come home" she whispers.

That flash of brown moves further away and now she adds " he needs you. He misses you". He stills, but does not come closer. The moon illuminates him for a second and she can clearly see the remorse in that brown.

" He loves you so much. That is all he needs, his father".

He finally moves closer, out of the darkness so you see a snout and eyes that seem to bleed tears. You sink to your knees. He moves even closer.

" We love you.. " you say ,

Take a deep breath & a leap of faith

" Rumplestiltskin".


End file.
